


Welcomes

by Thistlerose



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Extras, Female Friendship, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 14:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6332149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistlerose/pseuds/Thistlerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jessika Pava tries to help an utterly exhausted Rey feel at ease her first night on D'Qar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcomes

Rey would happily curl up in the _Falcon_ or in the chair beside Finn's hospital bed. But Leia insists that she be given a real room with a real bed in it. Whatever that means. Rey honestly can't remember the last time she slept in what any of these people would consider a real bed. She had a hammock back on Jakku, and it was comfortable enough.

Unfortunately, there are no empty rooms to spare, and anyway, Leia doesn't think it a good idea for her to be alone her first night in a completely new place. It's Poe who suggests she bunk with Jessika Pava, at least for the time being. Jess has the space, he says, and she's about Rey's age, as if that alone means they'll get along. When summoned, Jess doesn't complain - not that she would, Rey thinks, when the polite suggestion comes from General Organa and Commander Dameron - and Rey is honestly too tired to protest, so that's that.

 

Jess's quarters are like nothing Rey has ever seen before. They're small, yes - in fact, they're not much larger than the room where Rey used to sleep on Jakku - but they're brightly lit and decorated with things that look ... not new, necessarily, but not salvaged from the wreckage of crashed starfighters either. There's a string of colored lights hanging from the ceiling, for instance. And there's a poster on the wall, depicting green hills dotted with small purple flowers, unfurling themselves seemingly forever under a deep blue sky.

"I actually painted that," Jess says when she catches Rey staring. "Those are the Varsa Meadows, from my home planet, Dandoran. There was a battle there once, between the Rebels and the Empire. Some of my family actually fought in it. Where are you from?"

"I don't know," Rey says tiredly, looking away from the picture; the colors are too bright for her eyes right now. Her gaze travels next to a waist-high chest of drawers, on top of which sits a mirror, a few small tubes and jars of what must be makeup, a hairbrush, Jess's red-and-white helmet, and a couple of small hologram projectors. Rey doesn't let her gaze linger on any of these things, especially the mirror - she isn't vain, but she doesn't think she could stand the sight of herself at the moment - and the holograms, which are probably of Jess's friends and family.

"So," says Jess, moving around Rey to the chest of drawers, "if you wanna use the 'fresher, while I fix up the spare bed, you can. I can also find you something to wear. I think everything I have is going to be big on you, but it's all clean, I promise. We can find you something that actually fits tomorrow. Kay might have something, although…" She gives Rey a measuring look, then shakes her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean… Never mind. The 'fresher…" She points to a door opposite the one they entered through. "It's over there. It's small, but it's got the essentials. _Hot_ water… Hey."

Rey almost jumps at Jess's hand on her shoulder. She jerks her head up, and finds herself looking into concerned dark eyes. 

"Hey," Jess says again in a gentle tone. "You're shaking."

 _Am I?_ wonders Rey. She can't quite feel her body, although she's aware of the warmth of Jess's hand. 

"It's okay," Jess continues. "If you're too tired to wash up, never mind for now. You can sleep in my bed. I'll make up the spare one for myself."

But-- Rey's lips form the word, but once again, the protest dies. This is too much kindness. Shouldn't it mean that Jess wants something in return? Only a few days ago, Rey would have believed that. But now that she has Finn and Leia Organa in her life - people who, so far, have only helped her and not asked anything of her in return - she finds that something inside her has changed, and she can't quite believe it. It's possible - very possible - that Jessika Pava is being kind to her simply because Jessika Pava _is_ kind.

The world tilts, and suddenly Rey finds herself on her back on Jess's soft mattress. She stares at the ceiling, at the little rainbow-colored lights. They seem to sway, but she knows they aren't really; it's only because she's so, _so_ tired. And now Jess is tugging off her boots and socks, and the room's cool air tickles the soles of Rey's feet. And Jess says hesitantly, "Do you want me to put that somewhere…?" Meaning the satchel that holds the lightsaber, but Rey clutches it to her chest and shakes her head. _No._ She doesn't honestly think that Jess or anyone else here will try to take it from her, but - no. "Okay," says Jess. Then she's drawing a blanket up to Rey's chin, and Rey wants to say _thank you_. Really, she should, because Jess may not want anything in return, but it's _right_. She should ask Jess about Dandoran and the Meadows of Varsa; she should ask if Jess was close to any of the pilots who were lost destroying Starkiller… 

But Jess says softly, "Sleep well, okay? We'll talk in the morning, if you want. Or whenever you wake up. You can sleep as long as you want. I won't disturb you, and I'll save you some breakfast. It's okay. Wherever you're from, you're here now, and you're safe."

Rey is already half-asleep when Jess finishes talking, already dreaming that she's running over scorching sand dunes, which transform into a snow-blanketed forest where trees grow thick and tall, and their leaves are like needles. Then that gives way to rolling green hills that stretch away forever and ever under a shimmering galaxy of rainbow stars.

  
[ ](http://tinypic.com?ref=sm6noy)  



End file.
